Awakening to Buffy
by rrolin
Summary: Work in progress. Set after the ending of Angel - Angel awakens to find Buffy is with him. However, much to his unhappiness, Sunnydale is back in another form, another hellmouth is discovered, the Immortal is looming and the world still seems determined
1. Default Chapter

AWAKENING TO BUFFY

PROLOGUE – Heaven on Earth – Sweet Buffy

I remember hearing her soft voice before ever comprehending the words, melodic, beautiful, distant and only one explanation came to me. . . I'm dead, not undead, not walking dead, but the normal dead that mortals strived for. I'm in what I had convinced myself couldn't exsist, at least couldn't exsist for me. . .

Heaven.

I was in that mythical unreachable Heaven and someone, something had deemed me worthy to be greeted with my girl, my perfect happiness, my beloved. Somehow Buffy was with me, finally Buffy was with me, no immortal, no Spike, just Angel and Buffy. . . Buffy and Angel.

Was she dead as well?

I attempt to open my eyes, that sudden movement shattering my perfect bliss.

Damn!

White hot pain coursed every inch of my body with the small act of opening my eyelids. Images washed in front of me in a blur of dark out of focus blobs.

I should have known I would never be deemed worthy of heaven.

"Damn it, focus Angel." I curse myself silently as I begin rapidly opening and closing my eyes, letting the pain become something to focus on.

But as my vision clears, the pain becomes worth it, secondary if you will to what waits before me.

I don't think I'm dead.

But somehow my girl was here, wherever here was, and I could sense her heart beat, smell her smell, see her, practically taste. . .

"Buff.."

She puts one of those petite fingers on my lips to stop the words in my throat and I notice for the first time her swollen red eyes, her dry cracked lips, quivering with what I could only guess as barely controlled. . .fear, anger?

Was this emotion for me? Is it really that bad? Am I close to a pile of dust or is she upset because I'm not already one.

I momentarily flash to Andrew's dooming words in L.A. The words that have haunted me every day, even in the alley. . .

Again I try to tell her I'm okay but the words stop short when I see her gather her blond hair in her hands and tilt her head to the right, almost. . .inviting.

Beautiful tanned skin, pulsating vein. . .a lethal combination to any vampire, soul or no soul and the fact that it was Buffy's neck, my mark staring at me, her blood calling me, played at everyone of my frayed nerves.

Why?

Oh no no no...

A cold sweat breaks out over my entire body as my demon awakes with a sudden blood lust that scared the hell out of me. I knew, in my gut I just knew what she was going to say.

"Drink."

Her voice was commanding, almost heartfelt, but there was no way in hell I was going to heade to it. Whether she loved me or hated me, I wasn't going there again. I didn't finally have her in front of me to potenitally kill her. I wasn't worth it.

It didn't matter that her heartbeat suddenly vibrated in my head as if it was my own. Despite the fact the sudden worry I sensed from her nearly intoxicated me with the ideas of what it meant.

I shake my head in ventemtly in what I hope to be a comanding "No." I don't think, as strong in conviction that I am, that I could verbally do it.

"I wasn't asking."

Her eyes slit, I know that look all to well.

"You drink, you heal and then my darling Angel I am going to kick you ass. What the hell were you thinking?"

My body still hurts, but I lift a hand to lightly touch her neck and my mark, the mark that at the moment almost glistened.

Despite how it became, that mark was something I was ashamed to be secretly proud of.

The lass wants it, a small inner voice teased. Angelus, perhaps. Or my own delirum,.

"No. . ." it comes as a whisper as my thoughts drift to Wesley, Fred, Gunn, potentially Spike, Illyiara. . .the alley.. . I'm suppose to be in the alley.

Visions of my past hit me, the alley, Wolfram & Hart, blood, dragon. . .death, so much death.

I attempt to sit up, but a firm manicured hand holds me firmly on the bed. "Fine my love, we will do this the hard way."

The fist found my jaw with a crack and almost instantly the fangs grew. My will was so weak at this moment, I'm surprised they had stayed hidden as long as they had.

I'm so tired. . .too tired to fight her.

My eyes watched in a mixture of horror and fasination as that creamy neck found its way to me.

Sweet Buffy. . ..

Helplessly I lay back, close my eyes and allow fate to take over.

Warm hands on my forehead, fingers playing in my hair, vanilla perfume.

I don't want to open my eyes, but I do, I feel I must. The pain that had haunted me earlier had all seemed to have cleared.

I only wonder why she is awake before me.

My eyelids flutter, to a very beautiful, no... the most beautiful blond (and trust me I have engaged a few in my years) above me, slightly paler, staring down with a determination. Despite everything, I can't help but notice she doesn't exhibit, at least outwardly, the unadulteradted hate I feared. Thinking more level headed then my previous encounter, I see worry, I see compassion. . . can't help but notice I don't see undying love. . .but alas I don't see a stake in my near future.

"Buffy?"

I cock my eyebrow. I am trying to gage her reaction before I barrade her with the million or so questions running rampt through my head. My friends, my quest, how the hell she plays into this all.

"You could have died out there."

Simply put her words somehow seem out of place from her mouth. I wonder why her words lack any emotion, but I see her jaw squarly set. Perhaps stopping what she really wants to say.

Buffy restrained, my how times have changed.

I attempt to sit up, but fail miserably only making it halfway before clapsing into. . .pillows?

"Buffy. . . I don't know what to say in way of answers, but I have a hell of a lot of questions.

Helplessly I search her face for that compassion I know must be brimming just beneath her exterior.

"Perhaps you could have asked for help," she moves from where she had perched herself beside me and for the first time I notice we are in a bedroom. Quickly scanning the room for anything else in way of a clue, I see a familiar face, Mr. Gordo.

"Buffy are we in Rome?"

I shake my head trying to comprehend how long I could have been out and ultimately what did that mean for my friends, for LA, for the world.

"No," Buffy turns her back to me to face a window.

I notice her shoulders sag, before beginning to shake. Crying?

Somehow the heartbraking site forces me from the bed. The strength I so lacked before somehow coming to me, compeling me across the room.

"I'm sorry." I find myself behind her and hesitantly I take my right hand to her shoulder. I didn't know if she would sucker punch me for the bold move.

I watch her turn towards me, her head cocking up so she could look at me.

"I thought you were evil."

"I thought you safer in Rome."

"I thought you didn't care?"

"I thought you needed to be done baking?

Humerous our exchange would be, if it didn't exhibit how truly seperated we had become. How we had let our worlds, always so entangled one way or the other, to drift so far apart.

How could I have been so . . .

"My friends?"

"You were the only one we found. There are still search parties, but the outcome looks. . .grim." Apologetically she squeezes my hand, "If I didn't have my connection to you, I doubt you would have been found."

The shock of her words hit me deep down, make me ill and barely conscious of my own actions, I find myself wrapping my arms around my once lover. The feel of her warm body the only thing keeping me from finding the nearest stake.

I had allowed. . . no I had led the charge to take down everyone important to me. My friends, the closest thing to family and because of me they were gone.

"What happened to L.A."

I feel the body pressed against me go rigid, but her arms, once slack, attempt to wrap around me.

"Buffy, did I take down L.A. Please don't tell me I've killed innocents? I was so sure. . ."

"L.A. Is safe." barely a whisper, her face turns into my chest and I feel a wetness penetrate my shirt. Salty tears.

"How?

"Its not important."

"Buffy?"

"Angel, we have time, but now you need to rest." Ending the discussion she backs away and turns toward the door. Instinctively I find my hand go to her shoulder to stop her retreat.

"Angel. . ."

"Stay." Barely audible I find my request come out more as a plea, but I don't care. My world as I knew it was over except for her, and the thought of losing sight of the only thing I have left terrified me.

"Angel. . .I should let you get some sleep."

"You think I am going to be able to sleep?"

I am not beyond begging at this point for her not to leave me, but I don't think it will result to that, because I notice her face finally began to crack from her control. I see a little piece of her, in her eyes, that tells me she wants to stay.

Despite the world ending I find a tiny bit of relief. Maybe she doesn't flat out hate me.

"Lay down."

Deciding not to press my luck, I nod and head to the bed. I hear her soft footfalls behind me.

Lowering myself into bed I turn just in time to catch Buffy, so beautiful, so grown-up, slip beside me, her blond hair fan out on the pillow next to me.

"Buffy?"

Without words, she holds her arms out and motions me with a nod of her head to lay down within her embrace.

"I could hold you." I whisper, unsure whether I really wanted to, or just wanted to be the Angel she remembered. The strong, sure Angel I wasn't sure I could pull off.

"Would you let me take care of you Angel, lord knows its all I ever wanted to do."

She smirks the cutest smirk and my resolve vanishes. Slowly I lower my head to her abdomen, bare from her middrift shirt riding up and inhale the intoxicating scent that was all her own. A scent that had greeted me in my dreams every night for nearly a decade.

I feel the long fingers of my slayer entagle in my hair, her fingertips rubbing circular patterns on my scalp, an eerily relaxing procedure.

"Will you tell me ab..."

"No. There is time to mourn what we have lost, later."

I sigh, wishing I could get the images of Gunn, Wesley and even Spike and Illyira out of my head. Wishing I knew why her heartbroken looked as similar as my own.

As if reading my mind I hear her sigh softly, "I know what its like to lead your closest friends to their demise. . .I know there is nothing that can be said to make it right."

The infliction in her voice, the knowledge, brought a tear to my eye. Unsure what to do or to say, I just tighten my embrace.

I'm finding myself afraid to know what she knows.

SECTION 1

After an hour, I realized as comforting as this position was, sleep, rest or whatever Buffy had wanted for me wasn't going to happen. Despite the fact at the moment there was no where else in any world I'd rather be, I had come to realize the present, whatever it was, was too looming to even be blocked out by being in Buffy's presence.

Unfortunately, I think Buffy knew it too, because when I flinched, I heard from her an audible sigh of disapproval, followed by a deep breath of defeat.

"Man, your stubborn as always."

Her voice sounded both unsurprised and disappointed as she slowly dis tangled her fingers from my hair, allowing the both of us to sit up.

I look to my left, a window displaying both dusk and definite California sky.

Something about a California sky makes it distinguishable from any other sky, even after the legendary sun had fallen.

"L.A.?"

A dry laugh (sarcastic?) escapes those perfect pink lips, as she pulls herself up to sitting and drew her knees into her chest, almost protectively, "Worse, Sunnyvale California."

Shaking my head I look at her puzzled, unsure of what I had heard. "Sunny. . .vale?"

"Haven't you heard? I thought maybe your firm invented it." a sudden bitterness creeps into her voice, which I pick up on right away, and her eyes downcast from my gaze, "'Sunnyvale' is a town that just happens to appear where a once Sunnydale used to be. The kicker is that this 'Sunnyvale' has a history that predates a town no one has heard of named 'Sunnydale'. Consequently, Sunnydale has been wiped out from every history book, California record and mind of any mortal, excluding us lucky few who lived there and got out alive."

Sunnyvale Sunnydale? What was the purpose? Could she really believe I had a part in this?

"I didn't know, I swear."

"Sunnyvale has a hellmouth, in a basement of its high school in fact, and you, after much soul searching and dreaming on my part, were found laying smack dab ontop of its seal. Bleeding from what looked like to be self inflicted wounds. . ."

Again her eyes hardened as they scanned every inch of my face, searching. Normally I wouldn't mind having her eyes rape over me so, but this seemed wrong, so harsh, so not the attention from Buffy I craved.

"Buffy, I wouldn't have aided in recreating Sunnydale, vale or whatever letter you want to swap in its place. I was not, or haven't been evil in a very long time, despite where I worked."

I looked at her pleadingly, running my hands up and down my opposite arms in frustration. How did this turn so ugly so fast.

"Buffy, I would never do that to you. . .not for anyone. I would never intentionally hurt you by bring back, or letting anyone else bring back Sunnydale into your reality. I would have been staked first. . .by my own hand."

I rambled aimlessly, in shock my her accusation.

Her shoulders loosened at my disbelief. I think she believed me. The relief of such flooded over me in waves.

"I know, I mean I thought I knew. . .I just promised Xander I would be sure. He's worried. . more so than usual. . . he's kind of went from brother to father lately."

Again seeing approval in her face I felt my defenses fall away. This was going to be okay. We were going to be okay and that was important.

As if to solidify my assumption, I watch with anticipation as Buffy comes to me from across the room. With dancer like grace, I watch her raise up on her tip toes and throw her arms around my neck. Without so much as a single word pass between us, just a look, an unguarded look telling me everything she feels about me without her having to say a single word, the very same feelings I have been fighting on and off about her, she draws my face to hers.

"Angel. . ." .

She looked at me like she wanted to say more, but couldn't formulate the words.

At this moment I doubt I could handle much more from her anyways. I was fighting every urge, from my body, heart and soul, to sweep her back onto the bed and tell the world to be damned. Whats done is done and if I didn't allow myself at least one selfish urge I may never be allowed this moment again.

Of course neither one of us were the selfish type, so instead I lien in, settling for the small allowance of feeling her body heat as close as possible. Barely restrained, that seemed a motto both Buffy and I would be forced to live by.

"If you would have called me I could have helped. There may have been a better outcome. . .for the both of us."

"I'm sorry. . ."

I was sorry. She was right of course. As a team, a combined force, we could handle everything, easier, more confidently, more efficient. "I just convinced myself, after talking with Andrew in both L.A. and Rome, that. . .that you had moved on."

Buffy smile faltered at my confession, "Andrew?"

I really didn't want to talk Andrew at the moment, so I buried my face in her hair in hopes of persuading that subject to be dropped. I wanted to know more about L.A., I wanted to know more about how she found me, and more so I wanted to know about what she lost. Her allusions about what my fight cost her were worrying me. The absence of her gang, in person or by mention alone, was unsettling.

The absence of Andrew and his big mouth on the other hand, that was a relief.

"Angel, did you say Andrew?"

Her voice had an edge and much to my disappointment she pulled away from me, "Are you sure you've seen Andrew? Recently? Since I took down Sunnydale and the First? Geeky Andrew, blond and annoying?"

"Yes, the first time I had the. . .pleasure of meeting him is when Giles sent him to help with the mentally impaired slayer, and then again I ran into him at your apartment, when Spike and I were in Rome. You were out at the time with your new vampire friend." I again attempt to pull her closer, but she remains firmly in her spot away from me.

I expected at this point to see some recognition in my slayer's face by mention of my meetings, or maybe some explanation about why she would even entertain the notion of the Immortal Piece of Crap, but instead the puzzlement in her face grew, "Spike?"

"The necklace. . .we had a whole resurrection thing in my office. . .Andrew didn't tell you?"

That surprised me, I thought the runt would have written a sonata about Spike undying affections for Buffy to recite upon his arrival back in Rome.

"Andrew?" Shaking her head she again turns from me, but this time I could almost see the wheels in her cute little head turning. Something wasn't sitting right with her, but until she gave me some clue, I was helpless to do anything but smile encouragingly.

"Giles never told me about any call. . ."

I sighed, was that it?" The fact her watcher tried to keep us apart for any reason didn't seem all that hard to believe. We may have respected each other, but Giles and I were never going to be best friends. He had seen the worst of me and like most people who had, he wasn't going to be able to ever fully forget it.

Besides, hadn't everyone in Rome thought he had gone Angelus anyway? Perhaps Buffy had let it go in one ear and out the other for her own sake.

"Buffy, Andrew isn't important. I didn't like his bluntness and I thought his worshipfulness of Spike highly unsettling, but he didn't say anything I probably shouldn't have heard. Besides, in the grand scheme of things, is Andrew really important?"

Buffy smiled a half hearted smile while fiddling with the cross necklace, my present to her a lifetime ago, "Usually I would say no, in the grand scheme of things Andrew isn't important, except for the fact Andrew never made it out of the US with the rest of us. Andrew suffered internal bleeding from our fight with the first and didn't last the first night on the bus, when we were escaping Sunnydale. Angel. . .Andrew is dead. Andrew has been dead for over quite a while."

"Dead?"

Shaking her head sadly she placed both hands on the sides of her forehead as if attempting to keep my words or her thoughts, from driving her mad.

"Buffy?"

Before I could press further a knock came from the bedroom door.

"You and dead boy done yet, I think there is something you guys should see."

Xander Harris.

I looked at Buffy and was relieved to see her upright again, with a half smile on her face, "Glad to see somethings don't ever change. Play nice?"

I nodded and smiled back. Xander Harris and his humor would actually be welcome right about now.

I take her hand, habit, and after a moment of her just staring at the interlocked fingers, she squeezes a gentle squeeze and together we head to whatever Xander had waiting on the other side of the door.


	2. Chapter 2

SECTION2

Following Buffy into the hallway, I was suddenly knocked over with a sense of deja vu.

"Holy Shit."

Turning around at my sudden outburst, both Buffy and Xander stared at me open mouthed amazement.

"What?" exclaimed Buffy.

"Did Mr. Broody and Poetic actually lower himself to a common man and swear?" a shocked Xander grabbed at his chest in exaggerated astonishment.

I watch Buffy give Xander a playful swap before turning her sparkling eyes on me, her knowing nod telling me my own eyes weren't playing tricks on me.

"Pretty freaky huh?"

Sunnydale – Sunnyvale – should I really be surprised?

Finding my own mouth open, I stare around the walls, at what could only be described as Buffy's hallway to Buffy's home in Sunnydale. The furnishings were slightly off but the architecture was unmistakable.

"How?"'

"Big Guy, if we knew that, we wouldn't need you."

Ignoring Xander I think again about the room where I had awakened.

"Were we just in. . .in your room?"

Xander nodded for Buffy, "Yep, did you notice Mr. Gordo. . .or actually in this freakish town, Mr. Porko?"

Buffy ignored Xander and instead came closer to me, her hand stopping just short of laying on my chest, an endearing move of long ago that I frankly wouldn't have minded her following through.

"You know what's really odd, I was sent the key to this house in Rome. A plain manila envelope addressed to me came by messenger at the offices Giles and I set up. I opened up the package and out slides this plain silver house key, no letter, no explanation. I had no idea it was a key to this house, I just thought it looked similar to my old house, so I kept it. Looking back at the incident now, I am not sure exactly why I kept the thing, but I stuck it in a drawer and forgot about it. When Xander and I got here and we were trying to find a safe refugee for the three of us. We came to this place, an identical house to my house in Sunnydale, in an identical neighborhood, in a piratically identically named town. Xander jokingly asked me if I had the key that was sent to me. I was like, yeah sure it right here on my key chain. . .and it was. I was being sarcastic, I didn't put it on my key chain, but it was there, right between my apartment key and my car key. . .right where my old house key used to be. We tried the key to prove we were nuts, but the key worked perfectly and we have been here ever since."

For some reason her story made me think of Spike amulet landing in my office, but decided now wasn't the time to bring that up. Besides her current story, actually all her stories since I awoke here, had a reoccurring theme that could not be ignored any longer.

"Buffy. . .where's Dawn, Giles and Willow? Do they know about this? Don't you think they should be here?"

I watched Buffy eyes register shock at my question.

Buffy?"

I smelled the salty tears in the air before they appeared in her eyes.

I looked at her imploringly for the answer, but I already had the vibe she wasn't going to tell me anything.

Feeling helpless and confused, I turned to Xander, someone I could depend on to open his mouth and tell me anything, especially if, like I had a sinking suspicion, might revolve somehow around me.

"Xander?"

Xander, who had turned his attention to the window at the end of the hallway, shook his head without ever turning around, "L.A., they are still in L.A. where this mess started. Where we all started our search for you after leaving Rome. "

His voice was flat and lifeless, causing my own stomach drop. The fact that Xander wasn't being a smart ass or a jackass to me spoke volumes. If Xander was to distracted to hate me then whatever he knew, and she knew, had to be released. . . now.

"Why aren't they here?"

"We didn't go to L.A. just for Angel, you and I both know that. If it was just about Angel I would have gone alone. We went together because it was about saving L.A., hell Xander it was about saving the world. Why do you have to be so damn mean."

My blond slayer seemed to be ignoring me at the moment her attention and fury seemed placed at Xander's feet.

Save me? Save the world? This had to do with my fight. . .key words, my fight.

Damn it. . .what else have I done? Who else have I killed for my own taste of revenge?

"But you could have taken the Immortal's warning."

The name of the Immortal made me clear my throat. "No offense, but talking like I'm not in the room isn't going to make me go away. " Turning to Xander I focused my rising tension at him, deciding his hate would be an easier barrier to crash then Buffy's protectiveness.

"Xander, what happened in L.A.?

Finally getting an acknowledgment, Xander Harris, focused his gaze at me. Not exactly friendly, not exactly hateful. . .just sorrowful.

"I'm sorry. She's right. . .we all knew what we were getting into. Now what I wanted to show you guys is downstairs."

Buffy, who had stayed unusually quiet perked up, "Yes, let's go down stairs. This town is something else, I wonder if the mansion is here as well. We will go for a walk tonight."

I blinked my eyes, amazed and a little disturbed how quickly the two had turned the conversation away from L.A., at each others throats one minutes, than bonding together to keep me in the dark the next.

"No, let's talk about L.A., what's downstairs can wait." As an after thought I turned to Xander, "It can wait, right."

That was a mistake on my part, the little doubt in my question.

Xander and Buffy exchanged concerned glances before Xander answered, "Well it can, but I think we should go look. . .now."

"You heard the man," smiling now, teeth and all, Buffy comes to me and wraps her arms in between my bicep, once again the warmth of her skin distracting enough for me to loose my focus, "Please let's talk about L.A. later. Its long, its dark and most importantly its over. Right now we have this town, hellmouth and all that fun stuff staring us in the face. I think that's more pressing, don't you?"

I wanted to say no, but found myself helpless under the puppy dog look, long batting eyelashes and most of all the deep underlying pleading in the request. What ever happened in L.A. was obviously as bad for her as it was for me and her lack of explanation only exhibited to me how raw the emotion still was.

But my friends. . .a part of me felt I should push the subject.

"Buffy, could it have anything to do with the here and now?"

I knew she would say no. I knew I was waffling because I didn't want to see the full extent of the pain I saw bits and pieces of in her face.

I would just give her time, just a little more time to gather her thoughts.

"I don't see how L.A. could have anything to do with this." her grasp around my bicep tightened and I see a struggle on her face.

I don't know if she is thinking rationally or with emotion.

Defeated for the moment, I turned to Xander, "So what did you have to show us?"

"Huh?"

"Knocking on the bedroom door, 'something you guys should see...'"

"Oh yeah, right. . . I've got it downstairs in the kitchen." I could see Xander spring somewhat into the Xander I remembered. Despite the crows feet around his eyes and a genuine sag in his shoulders, maybe he really hadn't changed that much.

Xander turned around and bounded down the stairs. I felt Buffy's hold restrain me when I tried to do the same.

"Angel. . .don't be to hard on him. Seeing this town sucked into the depths of hell only to driving along and find its back. You feel like all the sacrifices you made, all the years spent fighting were for nothing. I thought I was tired before, but staring at this damn town makes me downright exhausted."

She did look tired and helpless at what I could do, I gave her a quick kiss on the lips, amazed how something so innocent still brought an unmistakable heat between the both of us.

"This can't be Sunnydale. I strongly believe there is a simple explanation for this, a demon with a sick sense of humor, one we can take out together and be on our way." Quickly I kiss her again before she can contradict me.

Okay maybe that second kiss was for me as well.

"If you say so." winking she released my arm finally and headed down the stairs. Enjoying the view of her behind, I gladly followed.

Rounding the doorway from the dining room into the kitchen I watch Buffy snatch a newspaper out of Xander's hand.

"You've got to be kidding me. I mean I knew he wasn't necessarily good. . .but he told me he wasn't evil."

"Yeah, plus the way he ragged on soul boy career choices, I thought this would be the last thing he would do."

Curious I walk behind Buffy to glance at the paper over her shoulder. In big bold print read:

LEGAL FIRM WOLFRAM & HART TO TEMPORARILY RELOCATE L.A. OFFICE TO SUNNYVALE

Quickly scanning underneath the paper, the byline read something about an earthquake destroying their L.A. Offices and while renovations were being performed the business would be coming to Sunnyvale.

"Buffy, how did things end up in L.A.?"

I look up from the paper, to acknowledge Buffy and Xander having a heated exchange I had apparently turned out. Heated enough to ignore my request.

"I didn't see this coming. The fact that he came here, after going on and on in Rome about how useless this trip was, this country was. . .and than this."Buffy was motioning to the paper in my hand with erratic hand flicks, "to take over Angel's job as CEO of the L.A. Branch. It's. . .sick."

Curious I again look down at the paper, where a quarter page black and white picture finally catches my gaze. An arrogant smiling black and white picture which would have stopped my heart in shock if it hadn't been for the fact it wasn't pumping to begin with.

Lindsey.

Impossible, I shake my head as if to clear away the picture in my eyes. Lorne killed Lindsey. . .Lindsey was dead.

"Buffy, if I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times, Vampires plus Buffy do not equal sane relationships." Xander, in afterthought, turned and flashed me a half smile, "No offense."

Vampires? Obviously my own shock had left me clueless to their conversation.

Taking another quick stomach turning glance at the picture, I throw the paper down on the counter, trying for face down, landing face up.

"Who are you talking about?"

Xander shook his head in disgust and nodded his head to Buffy, "Your story."

"Thanks" Walking over to me, looking at me under a veil of unconcealed caution, Buffy lovingly rubs a hand up my arm, "There was this guy in Rome that I sort of dated. It was more because I wanted someone who reminded me of you than an actually attraction. . ."

"Yes I know, the Immortal, its not important.", reassuringly I pull her into my arms and plant a kiss on the top of her head, "Because he's not here now, I am."

"Angel." I heard a content sigh, happy to no end that it was my name and not the Immortal Scum Bag that caused such a happy sound.

"I wish it were that easy Angel. According to that article he's coming to town."

"In CEO capacity." Xander pipped in, before nervously turning around and sticking his hand in the refrigerator.

Buffy shot Xander the mother of all looks before nodding her head down towards the paper, "Do you know him because that's his picture."

I again look down at the paper, only to be greeted by the insane smile of Lindsey MacDonald.

"Where?"

"There." Buffy's finger pointed down to the middle of Lindsey's picture.

"Lindsey?"

Now Buffy looked at me like I sprung another head, "I don't know any Lindsey, that" tapping impatiently with her finger, "is the vampire I dated called the Immortal."


	3. Chapter 3

SECTION3

"Buffy – that look you are giving me is not helping things."

Frankly, as much as I love her, the look I was getting at the moment, the look that insinuated poor Angel had his brains sucked out by the big bad lawyers and doesn't even realize it, was downright pissing me off.

"Angel, I'm sorry." Across the table Buffy, looking about as tired as I felt, shrugged her shoulders in defeat and tipped her chair back in what I could only explain as exasperation, "I listened to your story, but it just doesn't make sense."

I sighed heavily, feeling my own frustration at her inability to just believe what I said without needing an explanation. When did she turn into Giles?

"Well the same could be said about yours, Buffy. You had never heard of the Immortal before your trip to Rome, so the fact that some guy may have lied to you to get in your pants doesn't even register as a maybe?"

Oh god! I was tired, still weak, not thinking clearly, but the moment the words left my mouth I regretted them instantly and cursed the amount of time the past year I had be hanging around Spike. His lack of tact had somehow rubbed off on me.

Buffy's face, drawn, tired but overall impassive had suddenly flamed an angry shade of red the instant my words registered.

"I can't believe you said that."

If I was pissed earlier, which I thought I was, than right now she was one step away from making me a pile of ash on the very chair I sat.

What Cordelia may have referred to as mega-pissed.

"I can't believe I said that either." I whisper.

As a last ditch effort, and a way to turn away from her burning stare, I turn to Xander, in the chair next to me for some sort of male support. But somehow, between the time my foot had firmly placed itself in my mouth and the time Buffy jumped from the chair in anger, the man had made a silent exit.

Smart man – Buffy must not have been the only one to have matured in my absence.

"Buffy..."

I attempt to fix my slip of the tongue with an apology.

Unfortunately, she wasn't going to let me get in a word.

"Angel, let's review. You went to work with an evil law firm – I opened a haven and training center for Slayers. I saw Andrew die on a bus, since that time you have had two conversations with him, both of which you are being conveniently vague about. Your last memory is fighting a dragon in the back alley of L.A., I find you with slit wrists bleeding on a hellmouth seal. You say the Immortal I know is really some human lawyer who you've entangled with in the past, entangled with the last year and consequently had killed. I won't even dwell on the fact that your okay with killing humans now." At this point her finger is waggling about an inch from my face as she liens over her dining room table, "However, the man I knew as the Immortal was pretty much at my side for the last year, and according to my slayer senses, as well as 5,000 other slayers, he is a vampire. Further, according to the remaining council's records and pretty much the whole city of Rome, this vamp is a famous, if not the most famous of vampires, only second to Dracula himself and goes by the name of the Immortal. . .not Lindsey"

Cocking an eyebrow I try to digest Buffy's tirade. Actually I want to rebuke Buffy's tirade in one smooth sentence, but I can't. It sounds so damn logical. . . to damn logical actually, to perfect. But there was nothing I could do about it at the current moment. Buffy wasn't going to just outright believe me and if I left, to let the both of us cool down, where the hell would I go? Would I just raise her suspicions further?

Besides, one thing I have learned over the years is leaving has never really helped much where Buffy and I were concerned.

"And as for getting in the pants comment."

Ouch, her icy tone made me wince. I was hoping that maybe I had only thought I said that.

I am blaming Spike – I am blaming my lack of finesse on Spike.

"Tough talk coming from a guy who sleep with a werewolf, a she wolf whose only redeeming quality seems to be the tight tops she likes to wear."

Dumbstruck. . . one word, dumbstruck.

"Nina?"

"Cordelia. . .at least you worked with her. I admit it was hard for me, well downright nauseating actually, but it was at least something I could fathom happening. How long did you actually know this one before you jumped into the sack and risked your soul, a week. . .maybe a month? Was she worth it? Is she the one who fucked with your head?"

Oh if looks could kill at this moment, I would be a dead man.

"How did you know about Nina?"

It was all I could think of to ask. I couldn't exactly face. . . actually I didn't exactly want to face the other questions. Especially since a lot of the same questions have been haunting me night after night since the affair began. I didn't see Nina being any sort of pawn in some game to get me, but I didn't know why I was with her either.

"I could ask you the same thing about the Immortal? "

Nice comeback Angel. . .not! What the hell was I doing, trying to piss her off more?

Still confused I watch her, noticing her anger seemed to be dissolving into a dark amusement. Obviously my squirming was helping her mood out.

At least my relationship with Nina seemed to bother her as much as the thought of her and the Immortal bothered me.

"Angel I am training slayers, lots and lots of slayers, and I have to train them to do undercover work as well as the run of the mill patrol-and-stake. I can't help it if you seemed to be a good candidate for surveillance. A vampire who was likely not going to kill them if they got caught."

Slayers. . .tricky. . .and apparently effective.

I have to say, I am impressed. I had never detected them, she had however ducked away from my team of professionals in Rome.

"So while I was having you tailed, you were having me tailed?"

"You were having me tailed?" her voice mocked, before a broad grin broke over her face letting me know she had been onto me all along.

I watch her shrug her shoulders, her eyes pretending to scan the table rather than meet me the face, "I guess I just wanted to make sure you were safe. . .that's all."

She looked at this moment if she wasn't sure if she should laugh or cry.

I on the other hand saw only humor in this odd situation, "So even though we can't ever seem to commit to each other, we always have to keep tabs."

"Sad huh?"

She finally met my gaze with a pout.

Deciding the worst of the fight was over, I begin my half lap around the table to meet up with her. The distance of the table between us was, in my opinion, to far than I was willing to have. Besides, at the moment it was kind of nice to know she was feeling as neurotic and possessive about me as I always have felt about her.

I wonder if she has ever contemplated putting me in a small box for safe keeping?

"Buffy. . .let's drop Nina and your relationship with the Immortal and focus on me, Sunnyvale, Wolfram & Hart and whoever the ugly guy is staring at us in the paper. Once we get that straightened out we can move on to better subjects like the proper handling of freshly baked cookies and how I am not letting you out of my sight again."

Sighing I watch Buffy hesitate, a common look of do I fall into your arms Angel, so do I be a responsible slayer.

To my disappointment, she seemed to be leaning toward the latter of the two options, "Angel. . .I would love to just forget your crazy stories, but I can't. I know you believe what you believe is fact, but if I can keep an open mind, can't you too? I mean even a small part of you realize maybe they did something to you. Maybe everything you know is false?"

I look at her, her concern flooding into every feature of her beautiful face and for the first time wonder if maybe she was right.

Could she possibly be right?

"Buffy. . .I don't know?"

Crossing the few steps that now separated us, she met up with toe to toe, "I honestly don't know either, but I don't think this is as easy as we hoped, I think whatever you faced in L.A. And everything I have faced in Sunnydale is nothing to this creepy town. It's almost like we were set up to be here. You. . .me. . .and Xander?

I couldn't concentrate on cheering her up at the moment, so I only nod. Everything did seem convenient, to damn convenient and the only option I saw was for me, somehow alone, to take a little trip down to Wolfram & Hart and meet up good ole Lindsey. . .or whoever the hell he is.

"Let's go for a walk. . .check out the mansion and maybe the rest of this town."

"Walk?"

Snapping out of my thinking I looked again at the woman standing directly across from me.

"Why not Angel, let's see how accurate this town really is. Is there an outline of where you fell from hell on the mansion floor? Are the shackles still there too? You know. . .a trip down memory lane."

She was trying to make light of the situation.

I could only muster a half grin. Somehow, before sunrise, I was going to have to ditch her and see Lindsey alone.

She was not going to be very happy with me.

"Yeah, let's go for a walk."

Hell, why not.


End file.
